Balancing Acts: The Reality Behind State Balanced Budget RequirementsDuring the past two decades, the federal budget deficit has been a major focus of public concern. Many officials, commentators, and ordinary citizens have urged that the U.S. Constitution be amended to mandate a balanced budget, frequently citing the experience of states with such requirements. Richard Briffault analyzes the states' experience with balanced budget requirements and extrapolates lessons for a federal amendment. His focus is not on the wisdom of cutting the federal budget deficit, but rather on the role and effectiveness of these requirements in achieving budgetary balance. Briffault finds that, while the fiscal limitations on state governments do have consequences, their impact on the structure, function, and performance of states is not what federal balanced budget amendment advocates anticipate or desire. Many state budgets are balanced on paper only, and others are balanced because of political and fiscal constraints having little to do with constitutional or statutory provisions mandating a balanced budget. |
Contents
FOREWORD by RICHARD C LEONE | 1 |
Do State Constitutions Actually | 7 |
Do States Actually Balance Their Budgets? | 15 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Accounting Office Amtrak anced budget requirements Attica Correctional Facility balance its budget balance their budgets balanced bud balanced budget amendment balanced budget provisions balanced budget requirements billion bonds borrowing briefing report budget deficit budget gap Budget Issues Budget Officers Budget Process California capital funds Citizens Budget Commission Congress constitutional balanced budget constitutional debt restrictions constitutional requirements Corporation costs Dan Wood debt service economic employees enacted enforcement expenditures federal balanced budget federal budget federal government Fiscal Crisis Fiscal Federalism fiscal period Florida Constitution Florida supreme court gimmicks governor Governor of Maryland House of Representatives Ibid impoundment judicial lease-payment legislative legislature line-item veto Medicaid ment Michigan NASBO National Association NE2d nonguaranteed debt NW2d operating deficit payments percent political programs public authorities quasi-autonomous receipts reduce revenues role Ronald Reagan special funds spending statutory stitutional supreme court tion trust funds U.S. Constitution U.S. House voters York